Phys.org news tagged with:energy losseshttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Technology for measuring magnetic properties under stress using piezoelectric deviceFujitsu Laboratories today announced the development of technology for measuring the magnetic properties of materials when force (stress) is applied. This will be vital to enabling more advanced large-scale simulations of the kinds of magnetic fields found in the motors of electric vehicles (EV). EV engines, which have numerous operating conditions, such as their rotational speed, need to be prototyped and tested repeatedly under these different conditions. Computer simulations could help make the design process more efficient and increase motor performance, but the simulations need to be able to accurately model energy losses arising from the magnetic fields of different materials, which can change considerably when stress is applied. This creates a need for a technology that can accurately measure the effects of stress.http://phys.org/news/2016-12-technology-magnetic-properties-stress-piezoelectric.html
Engineering Thu, 08 Dec 2016 08:17:42 ESTnews400407431Record distance for alternative super-currentResearchers have discovered that electrons that spin synchronously around their axes remain superconductive across large distances within magnetic chrome dioxide. Electric current from these electrons can flip small magnets, and its superconductive version could form the basis of a hard drive without energy loss. The study has been published in Physical Review X.http://phys.org/news/2016-11-distance-alternative-super-current.html
General Physics Mon, 14 Nov 2016 06:12:56 ESTnews398326369Identifying pathways to visions of future land use in EuropeLand use provides multiple goods and services to society. Meeting the future needs of a rising population while at the same time conserving natural areas, halting biodiversity loss, and switching to larger shares of renewable energy, will exacerbate the competition for land in the future. To deal with such potential conflicts, strategies for future land use are needed.http://phys.org/news/2016-11-pathways-visions-future-europe.html
Environment Wed, 02 Nov 2016 08:47:36 ESTnews397295250UN cites environmental threats to public health in EuropeA United Nations report is warning that poor air quality and climate change are the two greatest threats to public health in a vast zone stretching from Europe to central Asia.http://phys.org/news/2016-06-cites-environmental-threats-health-europe.html
Environment Wed, 08 Jun 2016 11:58:45 ESTnews384605919Scent guides hawk moths to the best-fitting flowersThat the morphology of many pollinators corresponds strikingly to the shape of the flowers they pollinate was observed more than 150 years ago by Charles Darwin. He described this perfect mutual adaptation of flowers and pollinators as the result of a co-evolutionary process. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, have now provided further proof of the famous naturalist's theory. They were able to show that Manduca sexta moths acquired the highest energy gain when they visited flowers that matched the length of their proboscis. The moths were supported in their choice of the best-fitting nectar sources by an innate preference for the scent of matching flowers.http://phys.org/news/2016-05-scent-hawk-moths-best-fitting.html
Plants & Animals Wed, 18 May 2016 08:13:01 ESTnews382777970Graphene slides smoothly across goldGraphene, a modified form of carbon, offers versatile potential for use in coating machine components and in the field of electronic switches. An international team of researchers led by physicists at the University of Basel have been studying the lubricity of this material on the nanometer scale. Since it produces almost no friction at all, it could drastically reduce energy loss in machines when used as a coating, as the researchers report in the journal Science.http://phys.org/news/2016-02-graphene-smoothly-gold.html
Nanomaterials Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:00:04 ESTnews375621783Sweden's Vattenfall results nuked by atomic energy taxSwedish state-owned energy group Vattenfall on Wednesday reported a record loss for 2015, blaming a tax on nuclear energy and sliding electricity prices.http://phys.org/news/2016-02-sweden-vattenfall-results-nuked-atomic.html
Business Wed, 03 Feb 2016 06:14:10 ESTnews373702442Understanding the mechanism for generating electric current without energy consumption at room temperatureA group of researchers in Japan and China identified the requirements for the development of new types of extremely low power consumption electric devices by studying Cr-doped (Sb, Bi)2Te3 thin films. This study has been reported in Nature Communications.http://phys.org/news/2015-12-mechanism-electric-current-energy-consumption.html
General Physics Mon, 28 Dec 2015 09:40:05 ESTnews370516030New plastic solar cell minimizes loss of photon energyAs the world increasingly looks to alternative sources of energy, inexpensive and environmentally friendly polymer-based solar cells have attracted significant attention, but they still do not match the power harvest of their more expensive silicon-based counterparts.http://phys.org/news/2015-12-plastic-solar-cell-minimizes-loss.html
Energy & Green Tech Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:46:44 ESTnews368271992Big effort to better understand bats takes wing in 31 statesAn effort spanning 31 states and 10 Canadian provinces has been working to better understand the ecological role that bats play, and the threats they face from climate change, habitat loss and wind energy development.http://phys.org/news/2015-10-big-effort-wing-states.html
Ecology Tue, 27 Oct 2015 18:30:03 ESTnews365188479Recovering low-temperature waste heat and converting it into electricityHeat loss is one of the main challenges in power production—whether from conventional or renewable sources. The trouble is that the wasted energy often stems from limitations of the power conversion process. In a typical gas or coal-fired power plant, about 40% to 50% of the input energy from the fuel is wasted as heat. In a typical combustion engine, the loss is even larger: almost 65% is lost in exhaust gases and in the engine cooling circuit. In industrial processes, a lot of heat is also wasted under the form of hot fumes or liquids.http://phys.org/news/2015-08-recovering-low-temperature-electricity.html
Energy & Green Tech Wed, 26 Aug 2015 08:38:56 ESTnews359797127Physicists close in on world's most sensitive resonatorsIn their quest to make the world's most precise sensors, Cornell physicists have developed a novel method of manipulating mechanical resonators to be sensitive enough to work at the quantum scale.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-physicists-world-sensitive-resonators.html
Quantum Physics Wed, 29 Jul 2015 07:00:01 ESTnews357370312Improving the efficiency of solar energy cellsUniversity of Adelaide chemistry researchers are studying energy loss at the molecular level of new 'plastic' materials as a step towards the development of highly efficient, low-cost and flexible solar energy cells.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-efficiency-solar-energy-cells.html
Energy & Green Tech Tue, 16 Jun 2015 06:44:53 ESTnews353655871Power transformers can drastically reduce energy loss compared to conventional transformersA transformer developed by the Robinson Research Institute, currently in factory testing in Christchurch, has successfully handled top current capacity—1390 amps—and measurements show the energy losses were half that of a conventional transformer.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-power-drastically-energy-loss-conventional.html
Energy & Green Tech Tue, 19 May 2015 06:50:02 ESTnews351235636Why are cacti so juicy? The secret strategy of succulentsSunlight, harnessed by plants in the process of photosynthesis, powers almost all life on earth. Special adaptations allow certain plants to store up a battery of carbon dioxide overnight for use in photosynthesis during the day, giving them a juicy advantage in dry desert conditions.http://phys.org/news/2015-03-cacti-juicy-secret-strategy-succulents.html
Plants & Animals Thu, 12 Mar 2015 08:40:02 ESTnews345364393Carbon nanoballs can greatly contribute to sustainable energy supplyResearchers at Chalmers University of Technology have discovered that the insulation plastic used in high-voltage cables can withstand a 26 per cent higher voltage if nanometer-sized carbon balls are added. This could result in enormous efficiency gains in the power grids of the future, which are needed to achieve a sustainable energy system.http://phys.org/news/2015-01-carbon-nanoballs-greatly-contribute-sustainable.html
Nanomaterials Tue, 27 Jan 2015 06:45:59 ESTnews341563550What is heat conduction?Heat is an interesting form of energy. Not only does it sustain life, make us comfortable and help us prepare our food, but understanding its properties is key to many fields of scientific research. For example, knowing how heat is transferred and the degree to which different materials can exchange thermal energy governs everything from building heaters and understanding seasonal change to sending ships into space.http://phys.org/news/2014-12-what-is-heat-conduction.html
General Physics Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:04:08 ESTnews337334640Gold nanoparticle chains confine light to the nanoscaleA multidisciplinary team at the Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales (CEMES, CNRS), working in collaboration with physicists in Singapore and chemists in Bristol (UK), have shown that crystalline gold nanoparticles aligned and then fused into long chains can be used to confine light energy down to the nanometer scale while allowing its long-range propagation. Their work was published online on the website of Nature Materials on 26 October.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-gold-nanoparticle-chains-confine-nanoscale.html
Nanophysics Wed, 29 Oct 2014 07:50:03 ESTnews333786560Engineers find a way to win in laser performance by losingEnergy loss in optical systems, such as lasers, is a chief hindrance to their performance and efficiency, and it occurs on an ongoing, frustrating basis.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-laser.html
Optics & Photonics Thu, 16 Oct 2014 14:00:01 ESTnews332686495More efficient transformer materialsAlmost every electronic device contains a transformer. An important material used in their construction is electrical steel. Researchers have found a way to improve the performance of electrical steel and manufacture it more efficiently, using an optimized laser process.http://phys.org/news/2014-10-efficient-materials.html
Engineering Wed, 01 Oct 2014 10:00:02 ESTnews331374511Calculating average distance travelled by low-speed electrons without energy lossA research team has developed a theoretical algorithm to accurately calculate the average distance traveled by low-energy/low-speed electrons without energy loss that are sensitive to the surface structures of materials through which they travel while retaining their energy information. The results of this research have been published in Physical Review Letters.http://phys.org/news/2014-09-average-distance-low-speed-electrons-energy.html
General Physics Wed, 10 Sep 2014 08:59:03 ESTnews329558335Researchers boost electron energy loss spectroscopy signal using silver nanoparticles(Phys.org) —A large team of physicists, chemists and physical scientists working in China has found a way to boost the signal received when using electron energy loss spectroscopy—by adding silver nanoparticles to the target. In their paper published in the journal Nature Physics, the team describes how their new technique works and possible uses for it.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-boost-electron-energy-loss-spectroscopy.html
General Physics Thu, 14 Aug 2014 10:30:01 ESTnews327228312On-chip topological light: First measurements of transmission and delayTopological transport of light is the photonic analog of topological electron flow in certain semiconductors. In the electron case, the current flows around the edge of the material but not through the bulk. It is "topological" in that even if electrons encounter impurities in the material the electrons will continue to flow without losing energy.http://phys.org/news/2014-08-on-chip-topological-transmission.html
Optics & Photonics Fri, 01 Aug 2014 15:21:21 ESTnews326125256A narrower spectrum for a wider view of matterCondensed matter physicists, who study the physics of solids and liquids, often use a technique called "inelastic scattering," in which they bounce photons or neutrons of selected energy off a material and measure the energy loss to examine the collective vibrations of atoms in that material. The technique helps researchers understand the dynamics of energy transfers that occur in trillionths of a second (picoseconds) over distances of billionths of a meter (nanometers).http://phys.org/news/2014-07-narrower-spectrum-wider-view.html
General Physics Fri, 11 Jul 2014 09:40:01 ESTnews324288253Understanding the energy and charge transfer of ions passing through membranesA bullet fired through a block of wood will slow down. In a similar way, ions are decelerated when they pass through a solid material: the thicker the material, the larger the energy loss will be. However, this picture breaks down in ultra-thin target materials, which only consist of a few layers of atoms.http://phys.org/news/2014-04-energy-ions-membranes.html
Condensed Matter Tue, 22 Apr 2014 09:09:17 ESTnews317376548New laser technology could divert lightning strikes(Phys.org) —Optical scientists at the University of Arizona and the University of Central Florida have developed a technology capable of sending high-intensity laser beams through the atmosphere much farther than was possible before. The research is still in the laboratory phase, but could one day guide electrical discharges, such as lightning, away from buildings.http://phys.org/news/2014-04-laser-technology-lightning.html
Optics & Photonics Tue, 01 Apr 2014 07:20:53 ESTnews315555640Revamping existing buildings to make them energy efficientTackling energy loss from buildings is one of the key objectives to reach greater sustainability, when it comes to energy consumption. The EU-funded BRICKER project aims to develop ways of reducing energy consumption by 50% in existing buildings, within the next four years. Specifically, it will turn public buildings in Spain, Turkey and Belgium into showcases to demonstrate the level of energy savings that can be achieved. Project coordinator Juan Ramón de las Cuevas Jiménez, is a mechanical engineer and a member of the Energy Efficiency Installations group at the technological centre of Spanish building contractor company Acciona, based in Madrid. He talks to youris.com about ways of improving energy efficiency in buildings.http://phys.org/news/2014-03-revamping-energy-efficient.html
Energy & Green Tech Mon, 17 Mar 2014 07:42:45 ESTnews314260951The choice of feed, feed strategies have important effects on gilt and sow performanceIn her doctoral project, Signe Lovise Thingnes (Norwegian School of Veterinary Science/Norsvin business PhD candidate) used three different methodological approaches in order to investigate how gilts and sows are affected by feed and feed strategy during the breeding, gestation and lactation period. A higher energy content in the feed given to sows in the breeding period and parts of the first pregnancy was shown to give extra body reserves at the onset of breeding and to have a positive effect on life-span and production. During the lactation period, when good feed intake is important for minimising weight loss and loss of condition, free access to feed increased the risk of the sows losing their appetite. The use of pea starch in feed given to lactating sows proved to have a positive effect on the sows' feed intake and condition at the weaning stage.http://phys.org/news/2013-12-choice-strategies-important-effects-gilt.html
Other Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:20:01 ESTnews306494944Nanoscale friction: High energy losses in the vicinity of charge density wavesIn collaboration with the University of Basel, an international team of researchers has observed a strong energy loss caused by frictional effects in the vicinity of charge density waves. This may have practical significance in the control of nanoscale friction. The results have been published in the scientific journal Nature Materials.http://phys.org/news/2013-12-nanoscale-friction-high-energy-losses.html
Condensed Matter Sun, 15 Dec 2013 13:00:05 ESTnews306321779Researchers present new multifunctional topological insulator material with combined superconductivityMost materials show one function, for example, a material can be a metal, a semiconductor, or an insulator. Metals such as copper are used as conducting wires with only low resistance and energy loss. Superconductors are metals which can conduct current even without any resistance, although only far below room temperature. Semiconductors, the foundation of current computer technology, show only low conduction of current, while insulators show no conductivity at all. Physicists have recently been excited about a new exotic type of materials, so-called topological insulators.http://phys.org/news/2013-09-multifunctional-topological-insulator-material-combined.html
Condensed Matter Wed, 25 Sep 2013 10:33:44 ESTnews299323999